Private news channel apologises to Maryam Nawaz after UK defamation case

LONDON: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has achieved significant legal vindication in the United Kingdom after initiating a defamation claim at the UK High Court against a private news channel over a programme that alleged she purchased a Toshakhana watch in a corrupt arrangement with bureaucrats.

The Muqabil talk show, aired on November 17, 2022, alleged Maryam had received a watch from the Toshakhana (state gift repository) worth a million rupees for just Rs45,000, facilitated via corrupt collusion with bureaucrats.

Maryam’s case was lodged at the UK High Court by her lawyers — represented by Barrister David Lemer of Doughty Street Chambers and Solicitors, Sadia Qureshi, and Ushrat Sultana of Stone White Solicitors.

The show aired in the UK had alleged that Maryam was part of a deceit in which bureaucrats, who were her own staff, would show her a gift in the Toshakhana (the state treasury) and value that gift at 10% of its true worth so that Maryam could buy the gift from the state treasury at a significant undervalue.

It was also alleged that Maryam conspired with bureaucrats under her control to deprive the state of personal gain, and it was claimed that Maryam was a hypocrite who criticised PTI founder Imran Khan for taking a watch from the Toshakhana when she herself took a watch worth one million rupees and only paid Rs45,000 for it.

Maryam’s legal team had insisted that the allegations were entirely false and that the broadcast caused serious harm to her reputation. Her legal team sought an apology and damages from the private news channel in the UK.

After a nearly three-year-long legal battle, the private news channel issued an apology to Maryam, apologising for the hurt caused and withdrawing the allegations made in the UK.

The apology, in video format for the channel, read: “These allegations were made, apparently, due to the unintentional and vague explanation of the documents. Galaxy Broadcasting Network UK apologises to Maryam Nawaz Sharif for the hurt and upset these programmes caused.”

During the proceedings, the private news channel did not advance a defence of truth but instead sought to rely on the defence of public interest, arguing that discussing transactions involving the Toshakhana did not imply any wrongdoing, only a desire to ensure transparency.

The channel was operational in the UK at the time the allegations were made. Its UK service ended transmission on July 31, 2024, but the case at the UK High Court continued.